Thursday, January 5, 2012

Last year, Big Bobo really flew the nest after taking a job on the outskirts of DC. Now he lives happily in the 'burbs of Virginia, walking around semi-wooded areas, entertaining the idea of taking up running, quitting his 20 year long smoking habit. I dare say he's officially a 10 o'clock bedtime adult. I went to visit him for a break from my life with a few nice nights in a hotel room (indoor pool!), and I found that there's a thriving Farm-to-Table diner chain! Color me impressed Virgin-Mar-Jersey!

I spotted a Silver Diner or two on the way to my brother's house and thought that it was just some diner chain, but my sis-in-law told me they were so much more than that. They try to buy fresh and local, working with farms who practice sustainable agriculture, with some meat coming from Kansas' own Creekstone Farms. Everything we had was fresh, delicious, and affordable. The best part is they have a rewards card where if you show up 5 times in three months, you get $5 off your bill. When we went the diner was thriving, and I was proud to see people embracing the farm-to-table movement (or just simply enjoying a good breakfast in the 'burbs.) If you find yourself in the DC Metro area, you should totally stop by for some breakfast.

Another highlight of the trip was stopping by Red Velvet Cupcakery in Reston's Town Center. I went for their cookies and cream cupcake: chocolate buttermilk cake with cookie pieces topped with their smooth American buttercream. They are gorgeous little cupcakes, and they use quality ingredients, but I found it hard to justify this small thing for $3.25 each. That price would cause outrage and rioting in the streets in New York, and here we were in Northern Virginia. Though, I wouldn't mind having their cakes again.